IMPORT SERVER (Import server information)

Use this command to copy all or part of the server control information and specified client file data from export media to the IBM Spectrum® Protect server.

Important: For commands that import administrators or nodes, you must consider the method of authentication. The IBM Spectrum Protect server cannot export or import passwords for nodes or administrators that are authenticating with LDAP directory servers. If the current authentication method uses an LDAP directory server and the password is not already synchronized by that server, you must update the password. After issuing the IMPORT command, set the password by issuing the UPDATE ADMIN or UPDATE NODE command.

IBM Spectrum Protect servers with retention protection enabled do not allow import operations.

Restrictions:

If target and source server levels are not compatible, the operation might not work.
Importing data from a CENTERA device class is not supported. However, files that are imported can be stored on a CENTERA storage device.
The import operation reads from volumes that are associated with a sequential-access device class. It cannot read from volumes that are assigned to a storage pool.
If you use an LDAP directory server to authenticate passwords, any target servers must be configured for LDAP passwords. Server data that is exported from a node that authenticates with an LDAP directory server is inaccessible if the target server is not properly configured. If your target server is not configured, exported data from an LDAP node can still go there. But the target server must be configured to use LDAP in order for you to access the data.

Incrementally exporting or importing the following types of client data to another IBM Spectrum Protect server is not supported:
- VMware backups where full plus incremental backups need to be periodically, incrementally transferred to another server
- Backups groups where full plus differential backups must be periodically, incrementally transferred to another server
- Windows System State data that is periodically, incrementally transferred to another server
Full export or import of this data to a new file system on the target is supported by exporting the entire file space that contains the data. The export must not use the FILEDATA=ALLACTIVE, FROMDATE, TODATE, or MERGEFILESPACES parameters.

Using node replication to incrementally transfer this type of client data between two servers is optimal.

You can also initiate an import of server information and client file data directly from the originating server. For more information, see the EXPORT commands.

This command generates a background process that can be canceled with the CANCEL PROCESS command. If an IMPORT SERVER background process is canceled, some of the data is already imported. To display information about background processes, use the QUERY PROCESS command.

Limitation: The IBM Spectrum Protect server does not convert code pages during export, import, and node replication operations. If servers are running in different locales, some information in databases or system output might become unreadable. Invalid characters might be displayed, for example, in the contact information for the administrator and client nodes, and in descriptions of policy domains. Any field that is stored in the server character set and that includes extended ASCII characters can be affected. To resolve the issue after the import or node replication operation, update the fields with the appropriate UPDATE commands. This server limitation does not affect client data. Any client data that was exported, imported, or replicated can be restored, retrieved, and recalled.

Privilege class

To issue this command, you must have system privilege.

Syntax

Parameters

FILEData

Specifies the type of files that can be imported for all nodes that are defined to the server. This parameter is optional. The default value is NONE.

The device class that is used to access the file data is determined by the device class for the storage pool. If it is the same device class that is specified in this command, two drives are needed to import information. The mount limit for the device class must be set to at least 2.

The following descriptions mention active and inactive backup file copies. An active backup file copy is the most recent backup copy for a file that still exists on the client workstation. All other file copies are called inactive copies. This parameter supports the following values:

ALl: IBM Spectrum Protect imports all backup versions of files, all archived files, and all files that were migrated by an IBM Spectrum Protect for Space Management client.
None: IBM Spectrum Protect does not import files, only node definitions.
ARchive: IBM Spectrum Protect imports only archived files.
Backup: IBM Spectrum Protect imports only backup versions, whether the versions are active or inactive.
BACKUPActive: IBM Spectrum Protect imports only active backup versions. These active backup versions are the active versions in the IBM Spectrum Protect database at the time that the IMPORT command is issued.
ALLActive: IBM Spectrum Protect imports all active backup versions of files, all archived files, and all files that were migrated by an IBM Spectrum Protect for Space Management client. The active backup versions are the active versions in the IBM Spectrum Protect database at the time that the IMPORT command is issued.
SPacemanaged: IBM Spectrum Protect imports only files that were migrated by an IBM Spectrum Protect for Space Management client.

Preview

Specifies whether to preview the results of the import operation, without importing information. This parameter supports the following values:

No: Specifies that the server information is to be imported.
Yes: Specifies that the operation is previewed but not completed. Information is transferred to the server console and the activity log.

This parameter is optional. The default value is NO. If the PREVIEW=YES option is specified, you must mount the export volumes.

DEVclass (Required)

Specifies the device class from which import data is to be read. You cannot specify the DISK, NAS, or CENTERA device classes.

If all drives for the device class are busy when the import runs, IBM Spectrum Protect cancels lower priority operations, such as reclamation, to make a drive available.

Dates

Specifies whether the dates for the file copies are set as the same date when the files were exported, or is adjusted to the import date.

If the import media is idle for some time after export, for example; if it is sitting on a shelf for six months, the original backup, or archive dates might be old enough to trigger the file copies to expire immediately when the data is imported into a server. The RELATIVE specification for this value adjusts for time that is elapsed since export so that the file copies are not immediately expired.

For example, assume that an import tape contains an archive file copy that was archived five days before the export operation. If the export media are saved for six months and then imported, the archive file looks like it is inserted six months and five days ago by default (DATES=ABSOLUTE) and might expire immediately depending upon the retention value that is specified in the file's management class. Specifying DATES=RELATIVE results in resetting the archive date for the file to five days ago during import. DATES=RELATIVE parameter thus adjusts file backup and archive dates for the time that elapsed since the export operation occurred.

This parameter supports the following values:

Absolute: The dates for file copies are set to the values specified when the files were exported.
Relative: The date for file copies are adjusted to the date of import.

The default value is ABSOLUTE.

VOLumenames (Required)

Specifies the volumes to be used for the import operation. Volumes must be imported in the same order as they were exported.

Restriction: The import operation reads from volumes that are associated with a sequential-access device class. It cannot read from volumes that are assigned to a storage pool.

This parameter supports the following values:

volume_name: Specifies the volume name. To specify multiple volumes, separate the names with commas and no intervening spaces.
FILE:file_name: Specifies the name of a file that contains a list of volumes that are used for the imported data. In the file, each volume name must be on a separate line. Blank and comment lines that begin with an asterisk are ignored.

Use these naming conventions when you specify volumes that are associated with the following device types:

For this device	Specify
Tape	1 - 6 alphanumeric characters.
FILE	Any fully qualified volume or file name string. An example is /imdata/mt1. Any fully qualified volume or file name string. For example, d:\program files\tivoli\tsm\data1.dsm.
REMOVABLEFILE	1 - 6 alphanumeric characters.
SERVER	1 - 250 alphanumeric characters.

Replacedefs

Specifies whether to replace objects on the server. Existing file spaces are not replaced. New file spaces are created when identical names are encountered. This parameter supports the following values:

No: Specifies that objects are not to be replaced by imported objects.
Yes: Specifies that objects are to be replaced by the imported objects.

The default value is NO.

MERGEfilespaces

Specifies whether IBM Spectrum Protect merges client files into existing file spaces on the target server (if they exist), or if IBM Spectrum Protect generates new file space names. You cannot merge non-Unicode and Unicode file spaces together. This parameter supports the following values:

No: Specifies that IBM Spectrum Protect generates a new file space name for imported data on the target server if file spaces with the same name exist.
Yes: Specifies that imported data on the target server is merged with the existing file space, if a file space with the same name exists on the target server.

The default is NO.

PROXynodeassoc

Specifies whether proxy node associations are imported. This parameter is optional. The default value is NO.

Example: Import the information for all defined servers from specific tapes

import server devclass=menu1 volumenames=tape01,tape02,tape03

Example: Import information for all defined servers from specific tapes and specify files are merged into existing file spaces

From the server, import the information for all defined servers from tape volumes TAPE01, TAPE02, and TAPE03. Specify that these tape volumes be read by a device that is assigned to the MENU1 device class and that client files be merged into file spaces on the target server if file spaces of the same names exist.

import server devclass=menu1 volumenames=tape01,tape02,tape03 mergefilespaces=yes

Example: Import information for all defined servers from tapes listed in a file

From the server, import the information for all defined servers from tape volumes that are listed in a file named TAPEVOL. Specify that the tape volumes are read by a device that is assigned to the MENU1 device class. The input file contains these lines:

TAPE01
TAPE02
TAPE03

import server devclass=menu1 volumenames=file:tapevol

Example: Import information for all defined servers from tapes listed in a file

From the server, import the information for all defined servers from tape volumes that are listed in a file named TAPEVOL.DATA. Specify that the tape volumes are read by a device that is assigned to the MENU1 device class. The input file contains these lines:

TAPE01
TAPE02
TAPE03

import server devclass=menu1 volumenames=file:tapevol.data

Related commands

Table 1. Commands related to IMPORT SERVER
Command	Description
CANCEL PROCESS	Cancels a background server process.
COPY ACTIVEDATA	Copies active backup data.
EXPORT SERVER	Copies all or part of the server to external media or directly to another server.
IMPORT ADMIN	Restores administrative information from external media.
IMPORT NODE	Restores client node information from external media.
IMPORT POLICY	Restores policy information from external media.
QUERY ACTLOG	Displays messages from the server activity log.
QUERY PROCESS	Displays information about background processes.